Safety fuse block



1932- ca. E. WADSWORTH 1,830,543

SAFETY FUSE BLOCK Filed Sept. 8, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

Z EMM 54. 4a

A TTORNEY5' 9 G. E. WADSWORTH 1,830,543

SAFETY FUSE BLOCK Filed Sept 8, 1930 A TTORNEYJ Oct. 4, 1932. G. E. WADSWORTH 1,830,543

SAFETY FUSE BLOCK Filed Sept. 8, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

32m 1076 w m A TTORNEY) Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES.-.

PATENT; OFFICE GEORGE E. WADSWORTH; F ERLANGER, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE GEORGE B. WADSWORTH COMPANY,-OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A GORPOB-ATION' OF OHIO SAFETY FUSE BLOCK Application filed September 8, 1930. Serial No. 480,386.

My invention is directed to the provision of a self-contained fusible switch equipped with means for preventing access/to the fuse receptacle when*thes*-:l'itch is in closed position and means for'preventln'g the closing of the switclrso'long as-the fuse receptacle is accessible.

An'o'bject of my invention'theref ore is to a provide a device comprismg'a-switch or fuse 1e plify the construction of such devicesand to make them more economicalof manufacture. A third-object of my invention relates to the use of a rotary switch which is desirable in structuresof this character by reason of it sI-proportionately greater throw and greater safety;

Still another object of my invention is the provision'of'a construction in which there is' V; but one parttobemoved by the operator,

' which part servesboth as'a cover for a fuse receptacle and as a knobfor operating the switch. I

These and other objects of my invention which w'illbe pointedfout hereinafter or will be obvious'to one skilled-in the art upon reading these specificationsI accomplish by that certain construction and arrangement of parts of which I shall now describe apreferred embodiment, reference being made to the drawings whichaccompany this specilication.

In'the drawlngsz F1gure 1 is an' isometric new with a portion cutaway of my assembled device.

Figure 2 is a sectional View thereof.

Figure 3 is an isometric view of the switch receptacle column and the cover in assembled relationship.

Figure 4 is'an elevation of'my device with thejc'over open.

vFigure 5 is a plan view of the base from beneathwith certain parts shown in dotted lines." a

Figure 6 is'anelevationand plan of the safety cover.

Figure 7 is a plan and section of the upper portion of the rotating switch member.

Figure Sis a plan view from beneath and a section of the fuse receptacle column.

Figure 9 is a plan view of. a section of the lower part of the rotary switch mechanism.

Figure 10 is a plan view of the base from above with the terminals and switch contacts shown.

Figure 11 is a bottom plan View of a modifiedform of mounting block showing one arrangement of electrical connections.

Figure 12 is a bottom plan view of the block shown in Figure 11 showing a different wiring arrangement.

Figure 18 is a bottom plan view of the block shown in Figures 11 and 12 showing a still different wiring arrangement.

Briefly in my invention I provide a base 1 of insulating material with an upstanding central column 2 which contains a fuse receptacle; about this column I provide a collar indicated generally at 3 which bears contact members forming part of a rotary switch, the corresponding contact members being located upon the base. Then I provide a cover 4 for the fuse receptacle portion and I pro-- vide means on the cover for operating the rotary switch and means on the fuse receptacle column controlling the operation of the cover whereby the safety features referred to are attained, as I shall now describe in detail.

The base 1 is a block of insulating material of suitable size having holes 5 for the passage of screws or bolts whereby it may be fastened to a panel board or within a box. Mounted centrally of this base is a column of insulating material 2. The manner of the mounting of this column in the preferred embodiment shown, will be taken up hereinafter in connection with the electrical connections. The column 2 is mounted non-rotatably'upon the base, and it. is hollowed out as best shown at 6 in Figure 8 to provide space for a fuse receptacle. Grooves 7 are made at opposite sides of the column which terminate short of the top thereof forming shoulders 8 at the top of the column. The grooves '7 connect-with circular grooves 9 which in the embodiment shown are about the length of a quadrant of a circle and terminate in shoulders 10. At the top of the column there may be provided, if desired, peripheral projections 11 oppositely disposed and also of a length substantially equivalent to the quadrant of a circle. This particular construction of the central column controls the movement of the cover which is the operating device or knob of'my mechanism; and the cover will next be described, whereupon the relationship of the two and the way in which the column controls the movement of the cover will be pointed out. 7'

The cover 4 comprises a knob of insulating material, the upper part of which may be beveled and knurled as at 12 if desired and which is hollowed out internally as at 13 to provide a cap for the fuse receptacle and a space into which the top of a fuse in the receptacle may extend. The cover is provided with two metallic arms 14 which may conveniently both be part of a U-shaped strip of metal as shown having a portion 15 extending into the cap and held as by means of screws or rivets 16. The arms 14 are of a distance apart substantially equal to the main diameter of the fuse receptacle column 2 so that the column itself might rotate between the arms; but the arms have turned over portions 17 at their lower ends. These turned over portions are adapted to enter the grooves 7. If the column 2 will be imagined. as mounted upon the base 1, it will now be clear how the movement of the cover is controlled thereby. The turned over portions 17 ride in the grooves 7, and the cover may therefore be withdrawn as shown in Figure 3, to the extent of the movement permitted by the said grooves. l/Vhen however the turned over portions 17 abut the shoulders 8, the cover cannot further be withdrawn. When the cover is pushed down as far as it will go (see Fig. 3), it may then be rotated in a clockwise direction through a quarter of a circle, the turned over portions 17 then riding in the-peripheral grooves 9. Movement in this direction however will be stopped when the turned over portion 17 abuts the shoulders 10, and this position of the cap is shown Very clearly in Figure 1. When the cover has been rotated in a clockwise direction as shown in this figure, it may not then be pulled outwardly because the turned over portions '17 of the arms on the cover strike the tops of the grooves 9 and inhibit such motion. When the cover is withdrawn however in the position shown in Fig. 3, it may not then be rotated because the grooves 7 hold the turned over portion 17 of the cover against such rotation. Itwill now be clear that if I provide about the fuse receptacle column 2 a collar which comprises a rotary switch, andI provide means whereby the. arms 14 may operate this switch, and if I arrange that the switch will be open when in a the cover cannot be opened until the switch.

is again rotated to the off position.

The collar 3 may be made if desired in one piece but is more conveniently made in two pieces as shown in Figures 7 and 9. The lower portion is a thick ring of insulating substance 3a and the upper portion a thinner ring 36 with a flange 18 which is useful in forming a satisfactory closure when my device is installed in a switch box provided with a hole through which the cap 4 may extend. Both partsof the rotating collar 3a and 3b are provided with grooves 19 which are continuous, and which hold the arms 14 of the cover. iThe arms 14 operating in the said grooves serve to rotate the collar when the cap is turned.

Having thus described the mechanical structure of the several operating parts of my device, I will now describe the electrical parts and the current connections. Upon the base I provide a terminal 20 of the usual type, provided with a current conducting metallic strap 21 which passes down through the base and ends in a position beneath the central part of the fuse receptacle column 2. In the hollowed out portion 6 of the fuse receptacle column I provide the threaded portion 22 of a fuse receptacle and a. central contact member 23 which in this case may be in the form of a nut. A bolt 24 passes first from beneath through the strap 21, then through a hole centrally of the base, then through a hole centrally of the fuse receptacle column and is screwed into the nut 23. Thus current may be conducted from. the terminal 20 through the strap 21 and the bolt 24 to the central contact member 23 of the fuse receptacle.

By this means also the bolt 24 serves to hold lie fuse receptacle column to the base.

The threaded portion of the fuse receptacle 22 is connected by means of bolts 25 to a bifurcated strap 26 which has two arms 26a and 266, ;.This construction is advantageous in that the strap 26 is connected to the column at two points so as to be non rotatable with reference thereto. It will be understood of course that the portions 26a and 26?) are separated from the bolt 24 so that there is no electrical contact between them excepting through a fuse plug screwed into the receptacles The base is hollowed out as at 27 to accommodate the bifurcated portion of the strap 26 and as at 28 to accommodate the elongated portion thereof and it will now be the base.

seen'that' whereas the bolt 24 serves to mount the=column upon the base, the strap 26 will serve the auxiliary function of preventing the rotation of the column with reference to The strap 26' terminates in the spring contact 29 of a rotary switch. terminal 30 is also mounted upon the base and bears a spring contact 31 serving as the second contact point of the rotary switch. Contact members upon the rotating part of the switch are conveniently formed by embedding a strap of metal 32 in the lower portion 3a of" the collar, which strap terminates in exposed contact portions 33 and 3 adapted when the switch is in closed position to bridge the electrical gap between contacts 29 and 31.

In use 30 is a line terminal and 20 is a load terminal. The path of current between the said terminals may be traced as follows: from terminal 30 through contact member 31 to contact member 34;, through strap 32 to contact member 33, thence to contact member 29, through strap 26 and bolts 25 to the screw shell of the fuse receptacle, through a. fuse therein to the central contact point thereof 23, through bolt. 24 to strap 21 and terminal 20.

The construction and operation of my device will now be clear. It will be evident that modifications may be made in it to adapt it to various uses all without departing from the spirit of my invention. As exemplary but without limitation, a different type of fuse receptacle may be used, or a. diiierent type of mounting of the column 2 upon the base 1 may be chosen. All electrical con nections to the fuse receptacle may be made beneath the base. My reasons for making the column 2 and the base separate and for making the two portions of the collar 3 separate are largely concerned with convenience in molding the several parts since it is difficult in any molding operation to produce acc rate under cut portions. By making the two parts of the collar separate however, and by locating the contact members 29 and 31 at less than 180 apart, I have provided a structure in which, when the switch is open as would be the case when the cover is in the position shown in Fig. .3, I may manually rotate the lower part 364 of the collar to a position 180 removed from its operating position, thereby locking the switch open, so long as a box or other cover prevents access to the portion 301.. When locked open as described,the cover may be opened or closed and the switch rotated as usual but the current will not be on in any position.

In Figures 11,12 and 13 I have snown a modified type of mounting base, and I have also illustrated several different methods of wiring up the base for obtaining ditl'erent electrical connec ions. It will be noted that in each of the modifications the line from the powersupply is connected to the terminal clipindicated at 29a.

Referring first to Figure 11, the current passes to the electrical connections of the block as follows: The line wire is connected to the terminal clip 29a and when the switch is turned on so that the metal strap 32a, as indicated in dotted lines, forms a contact between the terminal clip 29a and the terminal clip 30a, a wire such as is indicated at 36 may be connected to a meter and a wire 37 connected from the meter to the terminal 206;. At 210 I have indicated an angular strap which fits within the groove in the under surface of the mounting base and forms a contact with the central connector for the fuse. The on rent passes from the peripheral contact clips through the angular strap 21?) to the load line terminal 20?). It will be noted that in this modification there is a double break in the switch between the line terminal and the motor. In some localities such an arrangement of electrical connections is required by the underwriters regulations.

In Fig. 12 I have shown an arrangement in which the line wire is connected to the terminal 29a. When the switch is on the current passes through the strap 32 in the collar 34; to the terminal clip 30a. By inserting an angular strap 216 which, it will be noted, is the same shape and size as the strap 216 shown in Fig. 11, a contact will be formed with the peripheral clips of the fuse. From the center of the fuse a connection is then established through an angular strap 21 to the terminal 20a which in this instance is the load terminal from which wires can be connected to the various electrical apparatuses to be operated.

In Figure 13 I have shown a still further modification in which the line is connected to th terminal clip 29a and when the switch is on the current passes through the strap 32a to the terminal clip 30a. By inserting a strap 210 in the under surface of the base a connection is established with the terminal 20a.

nn angular strap 21a conducts the current to the medial connection to the fuse. From the peripheral use clips an angular strap 29?) may be employed to conduct the current to the terminal 20d which in this instance becomes the load terminal.

The advantages of the electrical connections indicated in Fig. 13 over those shown in Fig. 12 consist in the fact that in Fig. 13 the switch and fuse assembly can have the line wire to the load wire connected through the same side of the box. It will be understood that the base members 1a are ordinarily mounted in a meter box with the cover member extending through an annular opening in the box so that the electrical connections to the box in which the switch is mounted are likely to be of considerable importance.

A further modification which I have shown in the blocks indicated in Figs. 11 to 13 are slots 38 through which the bent over ends of the arms 14 extend to limit the outward reciprocating movement of the cover member d.

Other modifications in which dif erent elec trical hook-ups may be achieved by positioning the straps 21a, 21?) and 210 within the grooves in the under surface of the base will readily occ ,r to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In. a fusible double break switch mechanism a base of insulating material and an up standing column thereon, said column hearing a fuse receptacle, a collar surrounding said column and forming the operating portion of a switch, and a cover for said fuse receptacle, means on said cover to operate said collar and means on said base to control the movement of said first mentioned means.

2. In a fused switch a base of insulating material and an upstanding column thereon bearing a fuse receptacle, a cover for said fuse receptacle, a collar surrounding said column and forming the operating part of a switch, said cover adapted to operate said switch and means on said column to control the operation of said cover.

3. In a fused switch a base of insulating material and an upstanding column bearing a fuse receptacle, a cover for sair fuse receptacle, a collar surrounding saio. column and forming the operating part a switch, said cover adapted to operat s switch and means on said column to con the operation of said cover, said cover able with reference to said column, and means adapted to inhibit the rotation of cover when said cover has been slid upwardly, and to inhibit the sliding of said cover when said cover has been rotated to a given. position. v

4. In a: fused switch mechanism a base of insulating material and an upstanding column thereon bearing a fuse receptacle, a collar surrounding said column and rotatable with reference thereto for!" the operating part of a switch, and cover for said fuse receptacle, said cover having arms to operate said collar and means on said base to control the operation of arms in two directions.

5. In a fused switch mechanism base of insulating material and an upstanding column thereon bearing a fuse rece tacle, a collar surrounding said column and rotatable with reference thereto forming the operating part of a switch, and a cover for said fuse receptacle, saidcover having arms to operate said collar, groc v.1 longitudinally of said column terminating in peripheral grooves the base thereof, arms on said cover adapted to operate said collar and having portions riding in said grooves whereby said cover may be withdrawn but not rotated when said portions lie in the longitudinal parts of said grooves, and rotated but not withdrawn when said portions lie in the peripheral parts of said grooves.

6. In a fused switch mechanism a base of insulating material and an upstanding column thereon bearing a. fuse receptacle, 3. collar surrounding said column and rotatable with reference thereto forming the operating parts of a switch, and a cover for said fuse receptacle, said cover having arms to operate said collar, grooves longitudinally of said column terminating in peripheral grooves at the base thereof, arms on said cover adapted to operate said collar and having portions riding in said grooves whereby said cover may be withdrawn but not rotated when said portions lie in the longitudinal parts of said grooves, and rotated but not withdrawn when said portions lie in the peripheral parts of said grooves, the longitudinal parts of said grooves terminating in shoulders to limit the outward motion of said arms.

7. In a fused switch mechanism a base of insulating material and an upstanding column thereon bearing a fuse receptacle, a collar surrounding said column and rotatable with reference thereto forming the operating part of a switch, and a cover for said fuse receptacle, said cover having arms to operate said collar, grooves longitudinally of said column terminating in peripheral grooves at the base thereof, the arms on said cover having portions riding in said grooves whereby said cover may be withdrawn but not rotated when said portions lie in the longitudinal parts of said grooves, and rotated but not withdrawn when said portions lie in the peripheral parts of said grooves, the longitudinal parts of said grooves terminating in shoulders to limit the outward motion of said arms, contact members mounted on said base, contact members mounted on said collar, terminals on said base and electrical connections therebetween whereby a circuit may be formed between said terminals through said switch and said fuse receptacle.

8. In a fused switch mechanism a base of insulating material, an upstanding central column of insulating material bearing a fuse receptacle, a collar surrounding said fuse receptacle and bearing contact members, contact members mounted on said base, one of said members being connected to a terminal device and the other to said fuse repectacle, said collar and associated parts forming a r tary switch, a second terminal on said base also connected to said fuse receptacle, a cover for said fuse receptacle, means on said cover for operating said collar as a switch upon rotation of said cover, said cover being slidable with respect to said column and means on said cover and said column to inhibit the sliding thereof when said switch is closed and to inhibit the closing of said switch when said cover has been slid outwardly so as to expose said fuse receptacle.

9. In a fused switch assembly having a double break switch between line and load terminals thereof, a base of insulating material having grooves in the under surface thereof, connector bars shaped so as to fit in said grooves and establish connec ions between said terminals and fuse, said base hav ing terminals at the corners thereof, and said grooves being so arranged that similarly shaped connector bars may be employed. for establishing line and load connections for different circuits through said switch and fuse.

10. In a barrel type switch having a fuse arrangedthereinbetweenline and load terminals, a double break switch between a line terminal and a connection to said fuse, a mounting base of insulating material havinggroovestherein,said grooves being shaped so that conductive straps may be secured therein in different circuit arrangements.

11. In a barrel type switch having a fuse arrangedthereinbetweenline and load terminals, a double break switch between a line terminal and a connection to s d fr c, a mounting base of insulating material having grooves therein, said grooves being shap d so that conductive straps of similar size and shape may be secured therein in different circuit arrangements.

12. In a switch assembly having a fuse arranged therein between line and load terminals of said switch fuse contact straps, a double break switch between a line terminal and a connection to said fuse contact straps, a mounting base of insulating material having grooves therein for receiving said contact straps, and means for mounting said straps in said grooves for the purpose described.

13. In a switch assembly having a fuse arranged therein between line and load terminals of said switch fuse contact straps, a double break switch between a line terminal and a connection to said fuse contact straps, a mounting base of insulating material having grooves therein for receiving said contact straps, and means for mounting said straps in said grooves so as to provide connections for a load terminal on the same or the opposite side of said assembly relative to the line terminal.

14. In a fuse block for electric circuits, a fuse connection, a double break switch, operating means for said switch comprising a cover for said fuse connection, said means movable in a rotary manner to operate said switch and in a'reciprocating manner to uncover said fuse connection, means for pre venting the reciprocation of said cover during on position of said switch.

15. In a fuse block for electric circuits, a fuse connection, a double break switch, operating means for said switch comprising a cover for said fuse connection, said means movable in a rotary manner to operate said switch and in a reciprocating manner to uncover said fuse connection, means for preventing the reciprocation of said cover during on position of said switch, and con nections between said double break switch and said fuse.

16. In a fuse block for electric circuits, a fuse connect-ion, a double break switch, operating means for said switch comprising a cover for said fuse connection, said means movable in a rotary manner to operate said switch and in a reciprocating manner to uncover said fuse connection, means for preventing the reciprocation of said cover during on position of said switch, and means for securing conductive straps in said block to provide a load terminal on the same or 011 an opposite side 0' the side of said block on which the line terminal is mounted.

17. In a fusible double break switch mechanism a base of insulating material and an upstanding column thereof, said column bearing a fuse receptacle, a collar surrounding said column and forming the operating portion of switch, and a cover for said fuse receptacle, means on said cover to operate collar and means on said base to control the movement of said first mentioned means, said base being provided with grooves and straps adapted to seat in said grooves and to conn ct the terminals of said mechanism so that the position of the load terminal may be varied.

18. in a fusible double break switch mechanism a base of insulating material and an upstanding column thereon, said column bearing a fuse receptacle, a collar surround ing said column and forming the operating portion of a switch, and a cover for said fuse receptacle, means on said cover to operate said c llar and means on said base to control :l e movement of said first mentioned means, ase being provided with grooves and strap adapted to in said grooves in differ-en: positions so that one arrangement permits a meter to be connected between the double break switch and said fuse receptacle.

GEORGE E. l VADSlVORTI-I. 

